Motion-picture-projecting mechanism



A. CHIARELLI.

MOTION PICTURE PROJECTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED Nov,2o.1918.

1,342,040. I Patented June 1,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

PM I.

A. CHIARELLI.

MOTION PICTURE PROJECTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1918.

1,342,040. Patented June 1, 192 0.

4 SHEETSSHEET-2.

u r -qllllllllllmun A. CHIARELLI.

MOTION PICTURE PROJEGTING MECHANISM.

APPucATlou FI LED NOV. 20, 1918.

1,342,040, Patented June 1, 1920.

4 SHEETS-*SHEET 3- A. CHIARELLI. MOTION PICTURE PROJECTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NQVI ZD, I9I8.

Patented June 1, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4'- ANTHONY GHIAB-ELLI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MOTION-IICTURE-PROJECTING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 20, 1918. Serial No. 263,332.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ANTHONY "CHIARELLI, a citizen of the United'States, residin at New York, in the county and State of ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motion-'Picture-Projecting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to motion picture projecting mechanism having more particular reference to the projection of the film againstignition from the heat of the lamp while being fed.

The invention has for an object to provide an improved means whereby ignition of the films may be prevented.

A. further object is to provide a mechanical means whereby the light rays from the lamp may be obstructed in the'even't ofbreaking of the film.

Another object is to provide means whereby the light may be cut off from the film in the event of the feed of the latter slowing down too much.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind in the form of an attachment capable of application to different machines.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings,

and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan view of the device applied to a motion picture pro jector.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation showing the shutter and its supporting means.

Fig. 5'is an enlarged detail vertical section through one of the control devices.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 'is a detail transverse section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 1 and illustrating particularly the connection of the attachment to the machine base to permit of lat; eral adjustment. 1

Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the friction drive connections between the film driven sprocket wheels and the governor.

In the drawings 1 indicates the main frame of a motion picture machine, and 2, 3, 4 the toothed sprockets by which the film is advanced, these sprockets being rotated by usual mechanism. It is not considered necessary to illustrate such mechanismor. the details of the machine since these are well known to those skilled in the artv and illustration thereof is not essential to a proper understanding of this invention. A portion of the usual lamp structure is shown at 5,

while the film is indicated in position in Fig. 2 by the heavy line 6.

According to my invention I provide a device, or a pair of devices, in position to be engaged by the film and rotated thereby as it is advanced, the operation of these devices controlling the light obscuring device. In the present instance a pair of shafts 10 and 11 are suitably journaled on axes parallel to the face of the film, respectively adjacent the top and bottom of the frame 1, and having rigidly fixed thereon sprocket wheels 12 Patented June 1, 1920.

and 13 which press against the film and the teeth 14 of which engage the usual perforations not shown, with which the side edges of these films are provided, the sprocket wheels being thus caused to rotate as the film advances.

The light obscuring device is in the form of a shutter 18 on the long end of a lever arm 19 pivoted as at 20 on the vertically adjustable .upper end 21 of a post 21 formed integrally with an adjustable foot 22$ having a telescopic connection with a base 23 which latter is mounted for transverse adjustment on a bracket 74 secured as by the bolts 75 to the base of the frame 1. The

upper post section 21 may be connected to the lower section by means of bolts 21 passing through suitable vertical slots in the overlapping portions of the two sections- -and having nuts 21 threaded on their ends.

A sheet of asbestos may beattached to the shutter to increase heat resisting qualities.

Secured at its lower end to the base 23 near the frame 1 is a skeleton standard 30 in the upper and lower ends of which are j ournaled shafts 31 and 32 co-axial with the shafts .10 and 11. These shafts 10 and 11 may be journaled in bearings 33 and 34, fixed to the frame 1, and extensions 35 and 36 of the standard 30.

The shafts 31 and 32 are driven from the shafts 10 and 11 b means of slip clutches here in the form 0 latter shafts and provided with friction disks 37 slidable on the i faces 38 which are pressed yieldingly into engagement with friction faces 39 on disks 40, fixed to the shafts 31 and 32, by means of springs 41 bearing between the disks 37 and collars 42 adjustably secured to the shafts 10 and 11 A spline connection 43, Fig. 8, is formed between each of the disks 37 and each of the shafts 10 and 11.

Motion is imparted from the shafts 31 and 32'to a vertical shaft, here shown as composed of an upper section 45 and a lower section 46, by means of bevel gears 47 and 48 on the shafts 31 and 32 engaging with bevel gears 49 and 50 on the upper and lower ends of the vertical shaft sections 45 and 46.

Mounted upon the shaft section 46 is a centrifugal governor device 51 whose sliding collar 52 carries a loose ring 53 to which is attached one end of a cord 54, or other flexible connection, leading to the arm 19 of the shutter 18. As here shown this cord 54 leads over suitable pulleys 55 and has located therein a differential. device in the form of a bell crank having a short arm 56 and a long arm 57, the latter being adjustable in length by means of the telescoping section 57 Secured upon the lower shaft section 46 is a centrifugal governor device 60 whose sliding collar 61 has a clutch surface 62 which engages a similar surface 63 on a .collar 64 fixed to the lower end of the shaft section 45, the purpose of this being to cut out the shaft section 45 from the lower shaft 11 when the feeding speed of the film falls too low.

The telescoping connection between thev foot 22 and base 23 I have here shown as formed by providing the foot with a slot through which pass bolts .71 threaded into the base 23, the foot 22 and base 23 bein of channel shape in cross section and the oot sliding. within the base.

I provide for lateral adjustment of the device with respect to the machine by mounting the base 23 on a bracket 74 secured by bolts 75 to the base of the main frame 1,

, J this bracket 74 having. transverse slots 76 to the head of a screw 80 threaded into the arm 19.

As shown in 4, a. pair of electrical contact members 90 and 91 may be mounted respectively on the shutter arm 19 and standard 21, andadapted to make contact when the shutter falls across the lamp house opening, these contacts being wired to a bell or other device, or to a solenoid whose armature is in the main circuit so as to shut off power and light when the governors stop functioning.

In operation the film engages the sprocket wheels 12 and 13 in its passage through the machine while the friction disks 37 and 40 have their frictional engagement adjusted so as to require the combined pressure of the two pairs to drive the governor mechanism 51. Rotation of the shaft 45, 46, lifts the collar 52 and raises the shutter 18, through cord 54, away from its normal resting position in front of the lamp house opening.

The governor collar 61 is also lifted causing the clutch faces 62 and 63 to engage.

In the event of breakage of the film the sprockets 12 and 13 will cease rotating and the collar 52 will fall, allowing the shutter to drop across the lamp house opening.

Should the speed of the film decrease below a desired point the governor 60 will no longer keep the clutch faces 62 and 63 in engagement and, as the friction drlve from the one pair of disks 37, 40 is lIlSllfilClGIlt to drive the device, the shaft section 45 Wlll stop rotating and the shutter fall.

It will be apparent that the upper film engaging device could be eliminated, the advantage of the double arrangement being that a more instantaneous action is had when the film breaks at the entering point to the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a motion picture projection machme, the combination with film advancing means, of a device adapted to cut off the light rays to the film, a pair of independent elements operated by the film, and means whereb said elements act in cooperation with eac other to control the functioning of the said device. I

2. In a motion picture projection machine,

' the combination with film advancing means,

of a device adapted to cut off the light rays to the film, a pair of independent elements operated by the film, and means whereby said elements jointly control the functionin of the said device said means including a riction clutch for each of said elements.

3. In a motion picture projection machine,

. the combination with film advancing means of a device adapted to cut off the light rays to the film, a pair of independent elements adapted to be rotated by the film, a sectional shaft, means for providing a frictional drive engagement between said elements and the respective sections of the shaft, means including. a centrifugal governor for operatively connecting the shaft sections together, and means including a centrifugal governor for connecting said shaft to sald device to retain the latter in inoperative position.

4. In a motion picture projection machine, the combination with a source of light and film advancing means, of means for cutting off the light from the film when the speed of the latter drops below a certain point, said means including a pair of rotatable members, and a centrifugal governor adapted to retain said members in operative engagement with one another.

5. In a motion picture projection machine, the combination with film advancing means and a source of light, of a shutter hinged adjacent the source of light and adapted to cut off the light rays to the film, a device adjacent the film advancing means adapted to control the position of said shutter, a frame on which said device and said shutter are mounted, said frame comprising a pair of telescoping sections whereby said shutter may be adjusted toward or away from the said device.

6. In a motion picture projection machine, the combination with film advancing means and a source of light, of a shutter hinged adjacent the source of light and adapted to cut off the light rays to the film, a device adjacent the film advancing means adapted to control the position of said shutter, a frame on which said device and said shutter are mounted, said frame comprising a pair of telescoping sections whereby said shutter may be adjusted toward or away from the said device, and means for vertically adjusting the hinge point of said shutter.

7. In a motion picture projection machine, the combination with a source of light and film advancing means, of a pair of wheels in engagement with the film, a light obscuring device, means for holding said device in inoperative position, and a frictional connection between each of said wheels and the said means, for the purpose set forth.

8. In a motion picture projection machine, in combination, film advancing means, I a member adapted tobe rotated by engagement with the film, a pair of electrical contact devices one of which is normally urged toward the other, means actuated by said member holding the first mentioned contact device away from the other, said means being adapted to become inoperative when the speed of the film falls below a certain rate.

9. In a motion picture projection machine, in combination, film advancing means, a member adapted to be rotated by engagement with the film, a pair of electrical contact devices normally tending to move toward closed position, a centrifugal governor adapted to hold said contact devices in open position, a' second centrifugal governor operated by the said member, and

means whereby said second governor con-.

trols operation of said first governor.

10. In a motion picture projection ma-v chine, in combination, film advancing means, a member adapted to be rotated by engagement with the film, a pair of electrical contact devices normally tending to move toward closed position,'a centrifugal governor adapted to hold said contact devices in open position, a second centrifugal governor operated by. the said member, and means whereby said second governor controls operation of said first governor, said means including a pair of clutch members connected to the respective governors and adapted to be moved into engagement by the second governor.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification this 26th day of February, 1918.

ANTHONY CHIARELLI. 

